Acupuncture in the ear may ease Pre-Surgery jitters without drugs
NCT ID NCT02707705
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a simple ear acupuncture treatment could reduce anxiety in women about to have a planned cesarean section. 91 women were split into three groups: one got real acupuncture needles on the ear, another got a needle-free patch (placebo), and a third got no treatment. Anxiety was measured before and after the short procedure. The goal was to see if this drug-free approach could help mothers feel calmer before surgery, avoiding medications that might affect the newborn.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- auricular acupuncture (needle patches applied to specific ear points)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to ease anxiety before C-sections, avoiding medications that might affect the newborn.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 91 participants, so results may not apply widely. The placebo effect is strong with acupuncture, and the study compares needle patches to needle-free patches, so any benefit might be due to the ritual rather than the needles themselves.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hôpital de la Croix Rousse
Lyon, 69317, France